1950 AD to 1959 AD
Events listed relate to Canadian women with a few
extra items added to give the timeline perspective.

This timeline is not all
inclusive. Feb 2018

DATES

EVENTS

1950

1950 -1953 - women once again volunteer for military service when
when Canada commits itself to the Korean War. Source:
National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces, Fact sheet.
Online (Accessed March 2014)

February 14, 1950 -Nancy Hodges
(1888-1969)is appointed as Speaker of the House in the
British Columbia legislature the 1st woman in the British
Commonwealth to hold such a position.

1950
- Inuit
Canadian are given the right to vote.

March
1950 -
several women’s organizations amalgamate to create the Congress of
Canadian Women to lobby for equal rights for women in all aspects of
life.

1950 - Muriel McQueen Fergusson
(1899-1997) is the 1st woman elected to the
Fredericton City Council in New Brunswick and was the 1st woman
deputy mayor in 1953.

1950 - Marion Orr(1918-1995) of Maple, Ontario begins her own flying school. During
her career as a flight instructor she trained over 600 pilots.
Source: Women in Canadian History. Susan Merrwill
http;//www.niagara.com/~merrwill/trivia.html (accessed June 3, 2004)

1951 - All three services of the Canadian military begin
to recruit women in the reserves. Source:
Women in the Military. The Canadian Encyclopedia Online
http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com accessed March 2005.

July 3, 1951 - The 1st
80 recruited enlisted women in the Royal Canadian Air Force arrive
at St Jean , Quebec for basic training.Source: A Brief History. RCAF Women. www.rcafwomen.ca

1951
-
The Quebec government passes law that gives married women the power
to exercise her civil rights in her own name rather than through her
husband.

1951 -
Charlotte Whitton (1896-1975) isthe
1st woman to become mayor of a major Canadian city,
Ottawa.

1951 - Addie Aylestock becomes
the 1st Black woman to be ordained as a Minster in Canada.
Source: Black History
Month
http://cyberus.ca/~acdas/bhm1a.html (accessed May 2005)
August 16, 1951 -Winnie Roach-Leuszler(1926-2004)becomes the 1st Canadian woman to swim the English Channel.(Information from her family)

October 2, 1951 -
the 1st enlistees in the Woman's Division of
the Royal Canadian Navy begin their training.
Source: “Doreen Nettie Paterson Reitsma” by Raymond Reitsma ,
The Vancouver Hall of Fame, online (Accessed December 2012.)

1952 -
The province of Manitoba passes a law allowing women to sit on a
jury.
1952 -
The Ontario Training Schools for Girls was established for young
female offenders under the age of 16. the schools will close in
1960.

1952 - Tillie
Jean Rolston
(1887-1953)
is appointed the Minister of Education in British Columbia becoming
the 1st woman to hold a provincial cabinet position with
a portfolio in Canada. Women who had held provincial cabinet
positions prior to this date were not given a specific portfolio.

1952
- Elsie Knott,a member of the Ojibwa tribe, is the
1st aboriginal woman elected chief.

September 1952 -Canada's 1st television stations begin
broadcasting in Montreal and Toronto.

1952 - Ethlyn Trapp
(1891-1972) became the 1st woman doctor to become head of the
National Cancer Institute of Canada.
Source: Vancouver Hall of Fame (Accessed December 2012)

1952 - The Boys' and Girls' Clubs, originally founded in
the Agricultural District of Waterloo, Ontario in 1915, change their
name to 4-H Clubs.
My Head for clearer thinking
My Heart for greater loyalty
My Hands for larger service
My Health for better living.

1952 -
Hanaka Muraoka, a Japanese woman, who learned English at school and
became a translator, published her translation in Japanese of Anne
of Green Gables...Akage-no An (Red haired Anne)
Source: Canadian Women Missionaries at Toyo Eiwa in Japan
1882-2006. Translated by Seiichi Ariga and Wayne Irwin. (Toyo
Eiwa Jogakuin, 2012)

1952 - Tillie
Jean Rolston
(1887-1953)
is appointed the Minister of Education in British Columbia becoming
the 1st woman to hold a provincial cabinet position with
a portfolio in Canada. Women who had held provincial cabinet
positions prior to this date were not given a specific portfolio.

January 1, 1953 - National Library of Canada is
established in Ottawa.

January 9, 1953 - Marguerite Pitre is the last woman hanged
in Canada. She was sentenced to death for her role in the bombing of
a passenger airplane.
Source: Canada’s History December 2011-January 2012 page 11.

January 1953 -5 women, including Mrs. Irvin McLean are the
1st
women to serve on a jury in Ontario. Source: Cochrane
Northland Post January 22, 1953. pg.2.

July 13, 1953 -Stratford Festival
opens under a tent for its 1st season.

July 27, 1953 -Korean conflict ends.

1953 -
The Canadian government passed the Fair Employment Practices Act
to help end discrimination in the labour force
1953 - Vitamin D is now added to milk.
1953 - there are
3,133 women enlisted in the RCAF Source: A Brief
History. RCAF Women. www.rcafwomen.ca

June 7, 1954 - The Canadian
government declares Onésime Dorval
(1845-1932) the 1st certified teacher in the Red River
District a Person of National Historic significance.
Source: Dorval, Onésime (1845-1932) Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan.
Online (Accessed May 2014)

1954 -
The province of New Brunswick passes a law that allows women to sit
on a jury.

1954 -The Quebec
government passes a law that allows a wife to see separation from
her husband on the simple grounds of adultery.

1955 - The
Ontario Women’s Treatment Center is established for the treatment of
alcoholism, drug addiction and psychiatric disorders. It would
become by 1965 part of the Mercer Complex in Brampton, Ontario.

1954 - Olivia Poole,
(1889-1975) a mother of seven children who lives in
Vancouver, British Columbia, invents the Jolly Jumper. The device can be hung in any doorway
and the baby is safely harnessed in such manner as to allow exercise
and fun with bouncing. Source : Canuck Chicks and Maple
LeafMamas : women of the Great White North by Ann Douglas Toronto,
McArthur and Co., 2002.

1954 -Canada's Outstanding Womens Athlete
of the year was Ernestine Russell Weaver,
(1938- ) Champion Gymnast. (Also won
this title for 1953 & 1955)

1954 - Frances Dafoe (1929 -
) and skating partner Norris Bowden
(1926-1991) win the World Pairs Skating competition for the
2nd year in a row. They also hold 1953-1956 the North American
Championship titles. . Source:
Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Online (Accessed January 2013)

Deaths 1954:1954 -
Died
Kathleen Barrett Blanchard
(1872-1954) Music historian.
1954 - Died
Mary Riter Hamilton (1873-1954) artist of World War l European
battlefields.
February 13, 1954 - Died Agnes Macphail (1890-1954) a founder of the
Elizabeth Fry Society, she was first woman elected to the Canadian
parliament.April 18, 1954 - Died Winifred Eaton (1875-1954) Onoto Watanna,
1st
known author of Asian descent to have works published in America.
May 27, 1954 - Died Alice Ravenhill (1859-1954) social activist and author.

1955

1955 -
Restrictions on the employment of married women in
the federal public service are removed.

1955 -
The Canadian Army and Navy begin to recruit women for regular servicesnot just reserves.
By 1955 more than 5,000 women are serving.
Source: Women in the
Military. The Canadian Encyclopedia Online
http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com ;
Source: National
Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces, Fact sheet. Online
(Accessed March 2014)

1955 -The
Ontario government amends its Mothers Allowance legislation to
include unwed mothers.

1955 - Lucille Teasdale-Corti
(1929-1996) is the 1st woman in Québec to receive a diploma
as a surgeon.
Sources: Dr. Lucille Teasdale. Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Online
(Accessed 2005) ; Lucille Teasdale. The Canadian Encyclopedia Online
(Accessed 2005) ; Dawson, Joanna and Beverly Tallon. “Helping
Heroes: Canadians who made a difference in the world.’ In
Canada’s History February- March 2013

1955 - Canada's Outstanding womens
Athelete of the year was Ernestine Russell Weaver,
(1938- ) Champion Gymnast.
(Also won this title for 1953 & 1955)

1955 -The Canadian Labour Congress is established.

1955 - The
Canadian Sports Hall of Fame is established.

1955 - Abby Hoffman (1947- ) wants to play hockey. In
order to play she has to cut her hair short and play as a boy. All
went well until the all-star game when players had to submit birth
certificates! Abby became an overnight sensation and other girls soon
appeared to try out for boys hockey teams! Source:
Women's Hockey - backcheck; a hockey retrospective. Library and
Archives Canada
http://collectionscanada.ca/hockey/024002-2200-e.html (accessed
January 27, 2006)

Deaths 1955:1955 - Died Mary Margaret "Margery" Brooker (1901-1955) In
1941 the firs woman appointed School Inspector for the Virden
District , Manitoba, the First Canadian women to hold such a
position.
1955 - Died Mabel Priscilla Penery French (1881-1955) 1st woman
lawyer in New Brunswick.
1955 -
Died Violet Irene Guymer (1885-1955) first woman licensed funeral
director in CanadaJanuary 1, 1955 - Died Victoria Cartier (1867-1955) Pianist, organist
and teacher. January 11, 1955 - Died Henrietta Tuzo Wilson (1873-1955) The first
Canadian born woman mountaineer. March 13, 1955 - Died Mary Walker Dobson (1871-1955) teacher
who receivedKing’s
Coronation Medal 1937. April 10, 1955 - Died Sara "Sadie" Ann Stringer (
1869-1955) Anglican Church Missionary to the Canadian NorthwestMay 18, 1955 - Died Emilie Musgrave Boswell (1886-1955) early journalist
with the Winnipeg Tribune. December 28, 1955 - Died
Pearl Hart (1871-1955) woman stagecoach robber.

1956

1956 -
The Canadian government passes the Federal Equal Pay
legislation in an attempt to provide equality in pay for men and
women. However there is still a long way to go for pay equity.

January 11, 1956 -
Ann Shipley(1899-1981)is the 1st woman to move acceptance of the
Speech from the Throne in the House of Commons.Source: Bob Bowman, Dateline: Canada.
Toronto: Holt Rinehart and Winston of Canada, Ltd., 1973.

1956 - There has been little interest in women's
hockey teams since World War ll. Abigail Hoffman
(1947- ) , a pre-teen challenges "boys only" policy in
minor hockey when she demands to play the game.1956 -The Woman's Canadian
Historical Society of Ottawa is renamed the Ottawa Historical
Society. Source: The Ottawa Historical Society Online
(Accessed July 2011)

June
21,1957 - Rt. Hon. Ellen Louks Fairclough(1905-2004) is the
1st woman appointed to the Canadian federal
cabinetby Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.

1957 -Mabel
Frances Timlin
(1891-1976.) isthe 1st woman
to be elected to the executive committee of the American Economics
Association.

1957 -The Canada
Council is established to enhance the Canadian cultural experience.

1957 - Blanche Margaret
Meagher
(1911-1999.) she is
the1st woman to become
appointed as an ambassador from Canada. 1957 - Winnie Roach-Leuszler(1926-2004) is the 1st Canadian woman to
be a baseball umpire

Deaths 1957:
1957 -
DiedAdelaide Morin-Thomas (1847-1957) pioneer in Canadian
northwest.
April 22, 1957-
Died
Dorothy Duncan (1903-1957) authorMay 1957 - Died Helen Barnard McCall (1899-1957)
photographer
May 1957 - Died Helen Bernard McCall (11899-1957) pioneer
photographer in British Columbia.
May 28,
1957 -
Died Minerva Ellen Reid
(1872-1957) Medical doctor, Chief of Surgery Women's College Hospital,
TorontoJune 15, 1957 - Died
Gertrude Childs (1881-1957) social
worker awarded the Order of the British Empire 1934.
June 21, 1957 - Died Bertha Mabel Dunham ( 1881-1957) Librarian, local
historian and author of works for young readers. June 26, 1957 - Died
Virginia K. Copping Norton Kemp (1895-1957) Lady Kemp, social
activist and volunteer. July 15, 1957 - Died Marion Hilliard (1902-1958), medical doctor who
helped develop a simplified Pap test. October 31, 1957 - Died Martha Louise
Black (1866-1957), adventurer and politician, considered to be the
First Lady of the Yukon. November 1957 - Died
Marjorie McKenzie (1895- 1957) one of the 1st women to become a
Foreign Service Officer in Canada. December 14, 1957 - Died Katherine Elizabeth Wallis (1860-1957) a
sculptor who was decorated by Britain and France for her nursing
efforts in World War l.

1958

1958 - Les Grands Ballets Canadiens is founded in
Montreal.Source: The Timechart of
History of Canada by Meredith Macardle (2004) 1958 - Jean Casselman-Wadds
(1920-2011) is the third woman elected to the Canadian
Parliament andalong with her father Earle Rowe they became the only father
daughter ever to sit in the same session of Parliament.
Sources: Obituary. Ottawa Citizen December 3, 2011.

October 22, 1958 -Blanche Margaret Meagher (1911-1999)is the 1st woman appointed as a Canadian Ambassador when she
served in Israel.
Sources: Margaret K. Weiers, Envoys Extraordinary: Women of the
Canadian Foreign Service. (Toronto; Dundurn, 1995); Blanche
Margaret Meagher, Canadian Encyclopedia online (Accessed July
2015)

July 1959 -Margaret Paton Hyndman(1901?-1991) who served the Free France Movement
during World War ll is awarded a citation fro Charles DeGaulle and
received a silver medal from the City of Paris.
Sources: Toronto Business and Professional Club, website accessed
March 1913. ; Margaret Hyndman, lawyer: no warm welcome 50 years
ago, Ottawa Citizen June 13, 1976.

September 28, 1959 - Betty
Oliphant(1918-2004)
and Celia Franca(1921- )founds the National Ballet School
of CanadaJune 26, 1959 -Queen Elizabeth II and President D.
Eisenhower of the U.S.A. officially open the St. Lawrence Seaway.

1959 - Olivia Poole (1889-1975) the inventor of the Jolly Jumper
for pre toddler babies had began
manufacturing the device in the 1950's and by the end of the decade
the family factory in North Vancouver was supplying all of North
America, Great Britain and Australia.

1959 - Ernestine Russell Weaver(1938- )
dominates the field of Gymnastics in the Pan
American games winning four gold and two silver medals. This was the first Pan Am games for the event of
Gymnastics.

1959 - Mary and Helen Stewart
wins a silver medal in the 4X100 freestyle relay in
the swimming relay at the Pan Am Games.Source: British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame Online (Accessed
June 2008)